524. Joseph “Joe” James BIGGS (Nancy READING7, William "Billie"6, Margaret Bell SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). Joseph “Joe” James was born on June 30, 1901.
Joseph “Joe” James married Isabell PATTON.
They had one child:

i. Robert. Robert was born in 1923.

Family of George Washington READING (272) & Arbie (or Abbie) SUTTON

525. Nathaniel “Nat” READING (George Washington7, William "Billie"6, Margaret Bell SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). Nathaniel “Nat” was born in September 1905. Resided in Curryville, Pike County, Missouri.
On July 17, 1930 Nathaniel “Nat” married Helen RODGER.
They had one child:

818 i. Nathaniel William (1931-)

526. William Beaman READING (George Washington7, William "Billie"6, Margaret Bell SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). William Beaman was born on December 27, 1907. Resided in Curryville, Pike County, Missouri.
On August 18, 1938 William Beaman married Marjorie JOHNSON.
They had the following children:

528. William M. "Willie" VANARSDEL Jr. (Nancy Shawhan SMITH7, John Shawhan6, Nancy SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). William M. "Willie" was born in Pike County, Missouri, in November 1891.
“Willie has twice been married, and by his first wife, Stella, had two golden-haired daughters with whom we played when we were children. They grew up and married, after Stella died, we lost track of them.”173

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Note: I have pictures of Nancy Shawhan (Smith) Vanarsdale with a little blond girl standing next to her. Could this be one of the little girls mentioned in Isobel Madsen’s acount? -REF
William M. "Willie" married Stella.
They had the following children:

529. Archie Pearl SMITH (John Thomas “Squire”7, John Shawhan6, Nancy SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). Archie Pearl was born in Pike County, Missouri, on July 30, 1877. Archie Pearl died in 1927; he was 49. Occupation: Fire chief in Granite City, Illinois.
On January 23, 1903 Archie Pearl married Maude LAIRD.
They had the following children:

824 i. Nadene (1905-)

825 ii. Irene (1905-)
530. Sallie Jackson SMITH (John Thomas “Squire”7, John Shawhan6, Nancy SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). Sallie Jackson was born in Kansas on September 22, 1879. Sallie Jackson died after 1955; she was 75.
On October 27, 1897 Sallie Jackson married Mason BRANSTETTER, son of Thomas Benton BRANSTETTER (March 18, 1833-January 11, 1894) & Elizabeth C. BRANSTETTER (January 30, 1836-December 14, 1913). Mason was born on July 14, 1873. Mason died after 1955; he was 81.
The ancestry of Mason Branstetter has not yet been proven. It is circumstancial based upon the data received from “The Branstetter Tree,” WorldConnect Project, by Carl Chaney Branstetter.--REF
They had the following children:

531. Margaret Melvina SMITH (John Thomas “Squire”7, John Shawhan6, Nancy SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). Margaret Melvina was born in Pike County, Missouri, on November 28, 1881. Margaret Melvina died after 1935; she was 53.
“Margaret Melvina Smith and Oscar William Chandler married December 24, 1899, Pike County, Mo., by Rev. Oaks. They lived the first year with the family of Matthew and Cornelia Chandler, Vandalia, Mo., on (the) road to Gazette, on the Old Home Place, and then they struck out on their own, and continued to strike out for a good many years. They made their first real home for their children in the county seat of Pike County, Bowling Green, Mo., and years later in Warren, Ohio, another county seat. They managed to have three children, and to educate them as they went along in public schools and high schools. Then the children left home to go away to college, and they really began to learn things, and never stopped learning more and more amazing things during the years when more changes were taking place that at any other time in history…changes in the average man’s fundamental beliefs, in his philosophy, in his conception of religion, in his manner of governmental spread, in his whole world outlook, in transportation, communication, education…indeed more changes than occurred durinmg the preceeding 4000 years all put together! In the lifetime of these children giant intellects in science were learning how to control nature in its application to human life. If it is true that problems are better teachers than lectures, then these children lived when all about them were problems, some being solved temporarily, and some left wide open to see working into chaos, getting deeper into chaos and farther away from a solution.174

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Letter in possession of Bettye Warner (granddaughter of Edith Smith):

Written on lined note paper:

Dear Sis,

Don’t think I have forgotten you, got both your letters, but have been so awful busy, week before last we were filled up with Carnival people. Lots of trouble and work combined. We are giving up the hotel, have bought us a nice new house in Warren, O. just 4 miles from here. The place changed hands & the other man is going to run it, it is to (sic) much work

On December 24, 1899 Margaret Melvina married Oscar William CHANDLER, son of Matthew CHANDLER (June 3, 1825-) & Cecelia Holdcraft McMILLIAN. Oscar William was born in Pike County, Missouri, on November 23, 1876. Oscar William died in Sulphar, Oklahoma, on November 26, 1960; he was 84.
They had the following children:

829 i. Rex Eugene (1901-1964)

830 ii. Isobel Frances (1903-1971)

831 iii. Oscar William (1913-1998)

532. Edith Mae SMITH (John Thomas “Squire”7, John Shawhan6, Nancy SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). Edith Mae was born in Pike County, Missouri, on November 6, 1886. Edith Mae died in 1933; she was 46.175 Edith Mae was buried in Crystal Lake Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In 1910 Edith Mae married General F. HAMLETT. General F. was born in Vandalia, Missouri, on February 8, 1889. General F. died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 14, 1972; he was 83. General F. was buried in Sunset Memorial Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 16, 1972; he was 83.
From Memorial Bulletin received from Bettye Warner:
In Memory of General F. Hamlett

836 vi. Betty (1926-)
533. John Francis SMITH (John Thomas “Squire”7, John Shawhan6, Nancy SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). John Francis was born in Pike County, Missouri, on August 21, 1889. John Francis died in Cahokia, Illinois, on March 16, 1962; he was 72. John Francis was buried in Valhalla Burial Park, St. Clair County, Belleville, Illinois.
My Grandparents, John Francis Smith and Ina Mae McDonald

by Bob Francis

John Francis Smith was born in Pike County, Missouri, August 21, 1889. His father, John Thomas Smith, was a well-respected farmer and some-time lawyer, known locally as "Squire." John Thomas Smith owned a fine farm near the village of Gazette, Missouri, and there raised five children: Archie Pearl (July 30, 1877 – 1927), who married Maude Laird; Sallie Jackson (September 22, 1879 - ), who married Mason Branstetter; Margaret Melvina (November 28, 1881 – after 1938), who married Oscar William Chandler (November 23, 1876 – November 26, 1960); Edith Mae (November 6, 1886 – 1933), who married General F. Hamlett; John Francis (above).
As mentioned above, shortly after John Francis Smith was born his mother, Julia Trower, died. He was then raised by John Thomas Smith’s sister, Nancy Shawhan (Smith) (Hinkson) VanArsdel (August 24, 1851 – September 11, 1931), until . Nancy was the last family member to bear the name "Shawhan" as an ancestral heritage. Nancy married first to her cousin, Humphrey Hinkson (1846 – 1882), son of John Hinkson (1804 – 1872) and Margaret Ewalt (1813 – 1873). Humphrey and Nancy shared common grandparents in Samuel Hinkson and Nancy Wilson (see above). She second married William VanArsdel (1842 – 1912), son of Ambrose J. VanArsdel and Phoebe Burton. Upon reaching an age where his sisters could care for him, John Francis Smith returned to his father’s care.
I know nothing about my grandfather’s childhood or adolescence. Fortunately, I do have a picture of him as a lad of about twelve years old, taken with his sister Edith and their father John Thomas Smith. As to his temperament as a child, I can only guess that he was the typical youngest child, doted on by his sisters I do know that sometime in the early part of this century he met and fell in love with Ina Mae McDonald. I do not know how they met but I suspect that they were neighbors.
Ina Mae McDonald was born August 8, 1888, in Barry, Pike County, Illinois. She was the eldest daughter of Robert McDonald (-1943) and Nancy Hanks (-1941). Her siblings were Clifford, Lillian, Irene, and Archibald. I know almost nothing about this family, at present. I do know that, as a child, her father took the entire family west to Oregon by covered wagon, but returned to Illinois because the job market did not pan out. In later years, her father owned a small grocery store in East St. Louis, Illinois.
In her early years, Ina was a beautiful woman. I have a picture of her taken about 1915 that really shows her beauty. Ina and John Smith were married November 25, 1912, in Barry, Illinois. Shortly thereafter the couple moved to Cahokia, Illinois, where John worked for the Oscar Myer meat packing plant.
The Smith family was, to put it mildly, very poor. My mother recently told me that when she was growing up the old house was a one room shack and that the only means of privacy afforded her was to drape a sheet across her little corner of the room. She, her sister, two brothers, her mother and father all lived in a space no bigger than a large living room. They did not even have an outhouse; what constituted their "outhouse" was a broken down truck with a toilet stool where the seats once sat. I can only imagine how they managed to dispose of the refuse.
There is a family story that well illustrates the poor condition in which they lived. My Mom’s aunt "Maggie" (for whom she was named) visited their home once and commented on the miserable conditions. Aunt "Mag," John Francis Smith’s second older sister (and mother of family historian Isobel Chandler Madsen), was an impeccably dressed, cultured, and sophisticated lady who was, in my Mom’s words, "very prim and proper." Aunt Maggie represented the "norm" for the Smith family . Their father, John Thomas Smith, was an educated man of some means who provided well for his children. Though not wealthy, the Smith family had certainly risen above the level of mere survival. Aunt Mag chided her younger brother that he should not live in such conditions.
Well, that did not set well with John Francis Smith. There is a personality streak in our family fondly called the "Jack Smith" syndrome. Whenever one of us gets stubborn, ‘ornery, and downright contrary around a fellow Smith relative, that person is quick to reply, "damn, it sure looks like the ‘Jack Smith’ is coming out in you!" This translates mostly to a knee-jerk response to do the very opposite that someone tells you to do. For example, if someone says, "take out the trash" in a way deemed a "command" by a Smith, the "Jack Smith" will kick in and hell will freeze over before the trash is taken out. Got the picture? Well, on that day long ago the "Jack Smith" came out in Jack Smith. He told his sister, "you can’t tell me how to raise my kids in my own home--get-the-hell-out-of my house!." That was the last Grandpa Smith had to do with his sister.
By the time I was born (1949), my grandmother was already in her sixties and her physical beauty had vanished. However, it was replaced by an inner beauty that shone like a beacon in the night. I have met a few saints in my time on this earth, and I can say that she was truly a saint. In fact, I believe that my grandmother continues to look over me as my "guardian angel," This wonderful woman lived to the grand old age of 91, and is buried alongside her husband at the Valhalla Burial Park, St. Clair County, Belleville, Illinois.
My grandfather lived until March 16, 1962. His was the first death that I experienced first-hand and it was hard to understand.
On November 25, 1912 John Francis married Ina Mae McDONALD, daughter of Robert B. McDONALD (1860-1943) & Nancy Louisa HANKINS (September 8, 1860-February 16, 1941), in Barry, Illinois. Ina Mae was born in Barry, Illinois, on August 8, 1888. Ina Mae died in Decatur, Illinois, on September 19, 1979; she was 91. Ina Mae was buried in Valhalla Burial Park, St. Clair County, Belleville, Illinois, on September 21, 1979; she was 91.
Ina Mae (McDonald) Smith’s social security #: 321-56-8564

Ina Mae McDonald Smith's Memorial Book is in the possession of Robert E. Francis.

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Valhalla Cemetery , 1406 South 59th Street., Belleville, Illinois 62223. Opened in 1931. Phone (618) 233-3110.
They had the following children:

837 i. John Francis (1913-1986)

ii. Robert. Robert was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, in 1918. Robert died in Cahokia, Illinois, in 1921; he was 3.

Robert was named after Ina’s father, Robert McDonald.176

“Grandma Hanks had a brother, a doctor, named Robert. I believe he delivered all us kids. When Robert (her brother) was sick and all bloated up, Dr. Hanks stayed with him until he died. From that day onward, Pop (John Francis Smith) refused to talk about the death of his son. He would not even mention his name. Pop had a fear of death.”177838 iii. Archie Pearl (1921-1968)

839 iv. Margaret Louisa (1924-)

840 v. Sarah Ann (1928-)

Family of Emma K. SMITH (281) & Charles WRIGHT

534. Zora WRIGHT (Emma K. SMITH7, John Shawhan6, Nancy SHAWHAN5, John4, Daniel3, Daniel2, Darby1). Zora was born in Gazette, Pike County, Missouri, on July 7, 1890. Zora died circa 1958; she was 67.
<178Dear Bob. I grew up with my mother and father under the name of Charles L. McCaslin the only name I knew until I went into the service and I found out that my real name was Collins and trying to find out any more information has been a real chore. One of my daughters was able to track down a living cousin of my blood father..... Pearl Collins and who drowned in Lake Michigan when I was around the age of 11 according to my mother, who does not talk much of those times. After getting in touch with the living cousin, Imogene Barnes of Vandalia, my wife and I were able to put pieces of the puzzle together and I really wanted to learn more of my blood fathers ancesters. We found out that my grandparents were from Vandalia Mo, they are buried in the cemetery in Vandalia.. My grandmother was Zora Wright Collins and my grandfather was Ivan Collins , he ran a garage in Vandalia. The living cousin didn't seem to know much about Zora Wright Collins.
Found a clipping ( no date) Pike County Gazette (Mrs. Ivan Collins) dies Saturday. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday at the First Christian Church, for Mrs. Ivan Collins, 69 who died at her home here at about 11 a.m. Saturday. She had been in ill health for two years. Death was attributed to a heart condition. The body lay-in-state at Waters Funeral Chapel until the hour of the services. Rev. John Hall, church pastor, officiated at the rites. Soloist was Mrs. Jack Lemasters, with Mrs. G.F. Schulze as accompanist. Pallbearers were six nephews, Claude Keith of Hannibal, Oscar Keith of Middletown, Randall Wright, Orval Barnes, Glenn Seeley and Winfred Wright, all of Vandalia. The former Zorah Wright, she was one of six children of Charles and Emma Wright, born near Gazette, Pike County, on July 7, 1890. On August 19, 1908, she was married to Ivan Collins, a former businessman of this city. The couple had spent their entire married life in this community and were numbered among Vandalia's most highly respected citizens. She was a member of First Christian Church, and for many years was employed at Ely Walker Garment Factory here. She is survived by her husband, by one daughter, Mrs. Lorene Collins Bethel of the home, and by one grandson, Charles Randall Bethel. She also leaves two great granddaughters, Robbie Kay and vickie Lynne Bethel. Preceding her in death were three sons, Pearl (my blood father), who was drowned at Wayne, Michigan in 1946; his twin brother Earl, and Buford, who died in infancy. Zorah's father was Charles and mother was Emma.
I believe we have it. there. We are indeed related..... I reckon the reason I couldn't find out much through anyone was the fact that it appears that my mother and Pearl were not legally married. Well, we will indeed visit your website and we must let you know we are new to this internet stuff and are hopefully going to take classes. Also we have had a death in our family...today...my mothers' brother passed away and it may take us a few days to get back to you. Hope this helps. I am so glad to have your help. Thank you....Kelly (Charles) and wife Ellie....There is another living relative....the remaining wife of my dad who does not know of my existence and I am told by my cousin that I should not under any circumstances contact her so I must respect those wishes...
Obituary submitted by Charles Collins

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Monday, at the First Christian Church, for Mrs. Ivan Collins, 69, who died at her home here at about 11 a. m., Saturday. She had been in ill health for two years. Death was attributed to a heart condition.

The body lay-in-state at Waters Funeral Chapel until the hour of the services. Rev. John Hall, church pastor, officiated at the rites. Soloist was Mrs. Jack Lemasters, with Mrs. G. F. Schulze as accompanist.

The former Zorah Wright, she was one of six children of Charles and Emma Wright, born near Gazette, Pike County, on July 7, 1890. On August 19, 1908, she was married to Ivan Collins, a former businessman of this city. The couple had spent their entire married life in this community and were numbered among Vandalia's most highly respected citizens, She was a member of First Christian Church, and for many years was employed at Fly Walker Garment Factory here.

She is survived by her husband, by one daughter, Mrs. Lorene Collins Bethel of the home, And by one grandson, Charles Randall Bethel. She also leaves two great granddaughters, Robbie Kay and Vickie Lynne Bethel.

Preceding her in death were three sons, Pearl, who was drowned at Wayne, Mich., in 1946; his twin brother, Earl, and Buford, who died in infancy.>

On August 19, 1908 Zora married Ivan COLLINS, son of Edward Gains COLLINS & Sarah Elizabeth CANTER, in Vandalia, Missouri. Ivan was born in 1886. Ivan died in 1960; he was 74.
They had the following children: